The Ledger · Entry 21
Most of the world's children now get the measles vaccine
Share of one-year-olds who received a first dose of measles vaccine
Data: Our World in Data, based on WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC)
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases there is, and before the vaccine it caught almost every child. In 1980, as the first global immunization push began, only about one in six of the world's one-year-olds had been given a first dose.
The key rows
By 2024 that share had reached 84%, and it briefly touched 86% in 2019 before the pandemic set it back. Coverage has plateaued in the mid-eighties for years, and the gap that remains is exactly where outbreaks still flare, so the last stretch matters as much as the climb.
Asked often
What share of children get the measles vaccine?
About 84% of the world's one-year-olds received a first dose of a measles-containing vaccine in 2024, up from 16% in 1980. Coverage reached 86% in 2019 before the pandemic set it back.
Why does measles vaccination coverage matter so much?
Measles is extremely contagious, so it needs very high coverage to stop spreading. Even the current 84% leaves pockets of unvaccinated children where outbreaks can start.
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